You're The One I've Been Waiting For
by Saphire.rayne
Summary: Sora OC moves to Waffle Town and ends up working for Sundae Inn. She didn't know she'd fall for her co-worker so quickly.
1. Arrival

**Chapter 1~ Arrival**

"Peaceful and free from disturbances." In bold lettering, these words caught my eye as I gazed upon the brochure I had received in my mailbox. "I wonder if this is real or a hoax." I say outloud. Nausea rises and I heave on the side of the boat. I've never been on a boat ride before, but I really wish this wasn't how my first time would have gone.

"Oi! Lass, ye seem to be havin' some sea sickness!" The boat's captain, Pascal, calls down to me from the steering wheel. "We be almost thar, lassy. Hold yer food in jus' a bit longer." The word food causes me to heave overboard again. I close my eyes, hoping this trip will soon be over and I can rest easy until my stomach calms itself. I try to open my eyes but they feel too heavy. My head hits the deck and my body is too numb to feel it. Cold air blows my hair around and I feel as though my body... is slowly.. drifting to sleep...

"..."

"..."

"Mom! Look! Her eyes opened!" A high pitched voice rings though my sensitive ears.

The room is blurry but comes into focus after a few minutes. A light brown haired woman is standing by me and a young blonde girl dressed in pink is standing in the doorway with a glass of what looks to be water. "What.. where am I?" I croak out.

"Relax dear. You're alright. It seems you passed out on the boat. Pascal and a few others brought you here to the inn to rest. We've brought you some water." The young girl brings the water over and I weakly reach out for it.

"Here, I'll help." The girl holds the cup up to my mouth and tilts it slowly, allowing me to take small sips of the water. My throat rejoices as the cool icy water journeys down.

"Thank you." I say with more ease.

"How are you feeling? You were very dehydrated when you arrived. Our town's doctor, Jin, had to inject you with a few hydrating shots. He said that you were close to being comatose and even worse." The woman looks down on me with her motherly eyes, causing a yearning for my own mother to be here.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask.

"A few days. We've been giving you some shots just as the doctor told us. He said the best we could do was wait for you to wake up on your own."

I lay my head back down, still feeling tired. "Thank you for your kindness." I try to smile but it comes off weak. I feel my body fading again and I give in.

I open my eyes to sunlight peaking in through shaded windows next to my bed. I sit up and stretch out my aching body. I must have slept for another whole day. I felt tired but I had to get up and move around. I'm about to step out of the room when I remember to check my clothing. My suitcase is sitting at the edge of my bed on the floor. I'm still in the clothes I arrived in. I quickly change into sweat pants and a white cami. I grab a hoodie and zip it up over my clothes. I open the door to a vacant yet homey hallway. Doors align the wall and a stairway leading to downstairs awaits me at the end of the hall.

Downstairs a few townsfolk are eating at tables and the young girl who gave me the water is talking to a couple at a table in the back. I look around and my eyes catch a tall boy with peach toned hair, delivering meals to certain tables. The girl in pink notices me and walks over to greet me.

"How are you feeling?" She asks with concern lurking in her eyes.

"I feel a lot better." My eyes fall back on the boy with peach colored hair. I watch him gracefully carry plates of food to awaiting customers.

"My name is Maya. I work here with my parents." The girl's voice brings back my attention.

"Mine's Sora." She smiles and bows. "Hi, Sora. Welcome to Waffle Town." I respond with a smile and half a bow. My back aches and I quickly straighten back up. The peach haired boy walks over to us and I feel my face getting hot. He was gorgeous. His body was perfectly toned. He was slender and tall, his arms not too muscular. I couldn't take my eyes off his face. He had eyes the shade of a light purple. I couldn't help but become jealous.

"It seems you've awaken. Hope you're hungry. I can make you some soup if you'd like." His voice was smooth and melodic almost. I nodded and he held out his hand. "Chase."

I lift up my hand and rest it in his palm and we shake. "Sora."

"Nice to meet you, Sora." He smiles shyly and walks off towards a room. I feel my cheeks warming up and I gradually follow him. I arrive in a kitchen that's hiding in the back of the inn. I glance around at all the pots and pans hanging up on shelves and spice containers scattered over the counter space. I lean against the cold tiled counter and watch Chase steadily begin preparing the soup. He opens a can of chicken broth and pours it into a pot over the stove. He walks over to the fridge and pulls out a piece of what seems to be meat. He lays it on a cutting board and chops it into little pieces using a knife. He scoops up the pieces of meat and drops them into the pot. I watch as he stirs the soup's ingredients together. He turns off the burner and starts rummaging through some cupboards. He pulls out a bowl and pours some of the soup into it.

"Chicken noodle soup." He holds the bowl out to me and the smell of it makes my mouth start to water. I don't remember the last time I've eaten! I grab the bowl and follow Chase out into the main lobby where I slurp down my soup. "You must've been really hungry" He chuckles. He grabs the empty bowl and walks back into the kitchen. He brings me seconds and I eagerly finish it up. He smiles at me as he collects the bowl and takes it to the kitchen to clean. I sit at the table looking at my surroundings. Pictures and ribbons cover the walls.

"Good morning." I hear a soft voice coming from beside me. I turn to see the woman who helped me the first day I was here. "I never got to introduce myself, I am Colleen. My husband, Jake and I own the inn here. I'm so glad to see you're doing okay." She smiles softly at me and I return the favor. "Do you have a place to stay yet here in town?"

I shake my head slowly. It still throbs when I move it too fast. "No ma'am."

"Hmm, then how about you stay here with us. You can help out around the inn in return." Her eyes show she's serious about this offer.

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother."

"Oh, don't say that. I wouldn't offer it if I felt you'd be a bother!" She softly laughs and smiles. "You need a place to stay so you can rest and I don't mind a new face staying here. We rarely get any new customers."

"Well, in that case I'll do it!" I smile at her and she holds out her hand.

"Welcome to your new home, Sora."

I shake her hand and she walks off to go tell her husband the news. I smile and look out the window and think about how kind these people are, offering me a home to live in when I just barely met them. I'm starting to like this town.

I watch Maya as she delivers drinks and plates of chicken tenders and spaghetti to awaiting lunchtime customers. The aroma of food fills my nostrils and I feel like I'm going to start drooling. I just ate not too long ago and I'm already hungry. My stomach growls in agreement.

"Still hungry, huh? Soup not enough for you?" Chase walks up from behind me and sits in the chair across the table. "I'm on my break right now, I can cook you up something more filling if you'd like. Since you're getting over being sick it'd have to be something your stomach can handle." His eyes look into mine and I glance away, feeling my cheeks start to warm up. He is so freaking cute.

"Something wrong?" he asks softly.

"No, I'm just embarrassed you heard my stomach." I mumble.

He laughs quietly and stands up. I notice the apron he had on earlier is now missing. Laid out before me is a tall young man with in a white button up nylon t-shirt and black pants. For the first time I realize he has on sandals.

"How about a sandwich with some tea?" he asks.

"I don't like tea but the sandwich sounds fantastic!" I reply.

"I'll be back in a few, shouldn't take too long."

Ten minutes pass and Chase comes back with a ham sandwich that has tomato slices and lettuce on the side. I gladly put the veggies inside the sandwich and take a bite. My mouth rejoices at how tasty this is. I think a small sound of pleasure escaped from my throat because Chase smiles and chuckles a bit.

I look at him in question but he doesn't say anything. I continue to munch away on my delicious sandwich and thank Chase when I'm finished. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll have to keep in mind that you like ham sandwiches."

It's quiet for a while until Colleen's presence breaks the silence. "Sora, you're not familiar with our small town yet are you?" She asks me.

I think about it for a while, and I reply with a no. I haven't met anyone else since my arrival. Nor do I know of any shops.

"Chase, since you're here could you show Sora around town? Take the rest of the day off until Sora's seen most of the town."

Chase looks at me and I nod my head. "Sure. We'll leave when you're ready."

I stand up and he grabs the empty plate off the table. I walk up to my room and change into a black skirt. The hoodie I have on is a light blue so it sorta matches. I walk downstairs to find Chase patiently waiting. He notices me and starts to walk towards the front doors. I follow hesitantly. I'm a little nervous on meeting everyone.

"We'll start with the town itself first." Chase says. He points towards a few shops to the left of us. We both walk to the house on the corner, a sign out front says "General Store." Chase holds the door open and I quickly walk inside. No one's around but there's noise coming from the other room.

I can't quite make out what they're saying. The voices are all muffled through the walls. The door suddenly opens and a man with light blue hair walks out. He notices us but doesn't say a word. Chase is the one to break the awkward moment.

"Hey Simon, this is Sora. She's new to the town." I try to smile but my face tenses up and I know I must look pretty stupid right now. "Hello." I mumble.

"Hello. It's not everyday someone new shows up." His voice is gentle and kind. I feel my body relax a little bit. Another body enters the room and it's a woman. She has a soft green color to her hair and a blue bandana holds it back in place. She smiles towards me and walks over to shake my hand.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Barbara, I overheard that you are new to this little town of ours. I hope we can see you as a future customer, Sora!" The woman's eagerness causes me to smile and I shake her hand back with more enthusiasm. I feel silly for being so shy, these people are friendly and I can't help but enjoy being in their presence.

"We should head out, I need to show Sora more of the town. See you guys later." Chase escorts me out of the shop . "Sora wait! I think I should give this to you, I don't know if you need it now, but hopefully it will help you out in the future." Barbara holds out a book towards me and I look to see what it says. "Island guide, Vol. 1." I grab the book and thank her. I follow Chase as he walks to the next building, "Clinic." We walk inside to see an older woman standing behind a counter. "Good evening, Chase." Her soft voice echoes into the medium sized lobby.

"Hey, Irene." Chase replies. He walks over towards the counter and I stand still near the door.

"You've brought a pretty friend with you. I don't blame her, you are quite handsome." Irene winks at me, and I feel my face heating up.

"Irene, she's new to the island and I'm showing her around town." Chase rubs the back of his head with his hand and I can't help but blush even more at the thought of how cute he looks.

"I'm Sora, ma'am." I blurt out.

"Sora. Like the sky." She says. I nod my head and she smiles at me. "Such a beautiful name. If you're looking for Jin he's upstairs. I don't believe he has any patients today so you should be able to talk to him." I look over at the stairs and slowly follow Chase up them. When we reach the top of the stairs, I notice all the "rooms" are curtains attached to poles with small beds in each one. A large open area with a desk is near the end of the 'hallway'. A young man with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail sits in a chair behind the desk. He doesn't look up from his paperwork until we are about two feet away from his desk.

"Hello there." He smiles when he says this. "So glad to see you're awake and healthy. My name's Jin. I am the doctor here at the Clinic. I took care of you when Pascal brought you in unconscious." He holds out his hand and I shake it. His palms are very smooth.

"My name is Sora. Thank you for all that you've done. I owe you." I say to him.

"Staying healthy and active is the best way you can repay me, Sora. " He smiles.

"Chase, I believe you're being Sora's escort around town?" says Jin.

"Yeah, Colleen asked me to. Plus I wanted to get out of the Inn for a while." Chase shrugs and inserts his hands into his pockets. The more I watch him the more I find the things he does to be cute. I look away fast before he can notice me staring.

"Well, we should get going. Lot's more to see." Chase turns away and waves casually goodbye to Jin. We exit the Clinic together and the sight of the ocean catches my eye. The small breeze coming off the salty waves feels wonderful. I take in a deep breath to find the air fresh revitalizing. Chase slows down his pace as he figures I'm not following anymore.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He says.

I don't reply but keep looking out into the ocean. I'm really glad I decided to move here.


	2. New Faces and New Friends

**Chapter 2~ New Faces and New Friends**

"Ah, you must be the new arrival I've heard about"

I turn around to see a boy with blonde hair looking at me. He's wearing a dark blue vest and plaid pants. I can't help but laugh at his attire.

"What's so funny?" His face turns red and I think he's getting a little angry with me.

"Sorry, I just thought of something funny. My name is Sora."I hold out my hand and he greets it with his.

"Gill" I giggle again. His name is even funnier than his looks. I watch his eyes narrow. They're sort of a teal color. His face isn't that terribly looking. He has decent looks.

"Nice to meet you, Gill." I say to him. He stops shaking my hand and wipes his own on his vest. "I'm the son of the mayor who runs this town. I'll be sure to tell him you're up and walking about. He's eager to meet you and get you settled into this town." Gill says. "Well anyways, I'm off to study at my house. I usually walk this way home. The ocean is beautiful." He gives us a small wave and walks away.

"That kid pisses me off sometimes. He thinks he's better than us." Chase glares in Gill's direction and I laugh, causing him to join in. We walk back towards the Inn but go past it onto a dirt road.

"This is the Lake District. We have a church, my house, and a few other's houses here. I'm sure you'll run into some of the townsfolk while at the Inn. We get frequent regulars who come in for lunch or for a drink at our bar later in the evening.

As we walk up the dirt path, the trees sway as the ocean breeze rushes by. The wind feels good against my body. Cute homes reside in tiny open areas in the district. "That's my house over there." I follow Chase's gesture and find myself looking at a wooden house with a soft pink shingled roof. The house is decorated with a green door and a small garden on the outside.

We continue our walk until we reach a fork in the road. A sign saying "Ganache Mine District" stands in the middle. "Well we can either meet the farmers first, or we visit the blacksmith and carpenter." Chase says.

"I'd like to see the farms, if that's okay." I say.

"Mkay, this way." I follow Chase left and we come across a cute little tan house that says "Souffle Farm" on the front. I open the door and step inside, Chase following. A beautiful girl who looks to be about the same age as me greets us. "You must be new, I've never seen your face before." Her voice is majestic and soft. Her eyes are a soft ruby hue and her hair is black as a raven's feather coating.

"My family isn't home right now. My father is outside showing my brother how to water and plant seeds. My mother is out shopping in town. My name is Anissa." She smiles at me and it makes me feel calm and relaxed. "I am Sora. I just moved here a few days ago." I tell her.

"Glad we could have you in our small town, Sora." She says.

Chase is quiet and standing casually off to the side of the store. I notice he's glancing around at all the flowers and veggies spread about the tiny shop. "Sora, if you ever want to farm, here is a book on how to farm on your own. It is quite useful." She hands me a dark brown book that says "Farming Secrets: How to". I thank her and Chase decides to move on. We say goodbye and follow the newly formed brick road laid out before us.

We come across a huge field accompanied by a tree, a house, a barn, and a chicken coop. I follow Chase over towards the house and enter inside. I'm a little more relaxed than I was before, meeting new people can be scary but I'm just excited now. A tall and broad chested man in a green shirt tells me his name is Cain and his wife Hana. We talked for a while until we noticed it was getting later in the evening.

We walk back towards the fork in the road and stop at the blacksmiths. I meet Owen, a very muscular man in a tight black muscle shirt; Ramsey, an old grumpy man; Mira, the jewel crafter, and Chloe, the little girl who talks a lot. We have two places left to visit, the fishery and the carpenter shop.

"We can always see the fishing shop tomorrow." Chase says and I agree. We enter inside the carpenter shop to find it pretty much empty. I sniff in the smells of pine and freshly made sawdust. For some weird reason, I enjoy it. "I guess everyone's out and about." He says "Let's head back." We exit the shop.

"We can go back to the Inn this way. It's a shortcut." I follow him down a path to the right of the entrance of the small carpentry. The feint sounds of wood being chopped echoes through the air. We come closer to a sign that says Praline Woods and I take a hint that that must be where the sounds are coming from. I turn towards the source of the sounds, only find myself frozen. A boy around my age is holding an axe in the air and quickly bringing it down to slice a piece of log in perfect equals. His body glistens in the afternoon sunlight; I can see he's been doing this for a while. The one thing that I notice is that he has no shirt on. I feel my cheeks starting to flare up and I can't help feel like I shouldn't be here. My eyes stay fixated on him and I remind myself that I'm supposed to be following Chase, who doesn't seem to notice I'm missing, and is still walking along without me.

I watch again as the boy brings down his axe to cut the wooden log teetering on a stump. He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand and looks up at me. I stand motionless, my body frozen. Oh man, he probably thinks I'm some type of creeper or something. I feel my body getting warmer and he does what I least expected. He smiles and waves at me. A line of white teeth shine and I can't help but return the same. He sets down his axe and starts looking for something. He grabs a white t-shirt and puts it on, followed by a red vest. He grabs his axe and starts walking towards me but I feel a tug on my arm and I turn to see Chase looking at me. "Let's go. Stop daydreaming." I hesitantly follow him and turn back to see the boy with the axe watching me, he looks a little unhappy.

I follow Chase back to the Inn and we are greeted by Colleen and Jake, who excitedly show me my work uniform: a green frilly dress, identical to Maya's. Attached to it was a white apron, which of course will be useful in the future.

Jake is the first one to speak after I've looked over my new work clothes. "If you're feeling better today, then there should be no problem with you starting tomorrow." He smiles and I smile back. I'm a little excited to be a waitress. I nod happily and he smiles wider. "Maya will show you the ropes and when you feel comfortable, you can try on your own."

I thank both of them and they return to their original business. Maya tells me how work days are usually slow unless it's lunch time. She also tells me that after 7 pm the Inn becomes a bar and that some nights we have to work late and help cater to the customers. It's already 4 in the afternoon and I decide to head back into my room and try on my uniform.

The dress slips on perfectly and clings to my body as if it was made to wear this. I tie the apron around my waist and take a gander at my reflection in a nearby mirror. The only problem tomorrow will be how I should wear my hair. I could put it in a ponytail with my bangs pinned back. I mess around with my hair until a knock at my door startles me. I open it to find Chase. "I thought you might want some dinner, come down to the kitchen and I'll make you something." He says. I hear my stomach growl and take his offer. I follow him down to the kitchen and he shows me all the ingredients to basically anything. It takes me awhile to decide, but I go with a cheese pizza.

I watch Chase's steady hands work at the raw dough, rolling it around in a bunch of flour and occasionally tossing it up in the air. This goes on for about 5 minutes until he sets it down on a round metal pan and rolls the edges up a bit. He starts adding the sauce and toppings and I start spacing out. I think about what tomorrow will be like and if I'll do a good job. My attention returns to reality when I smell the pizza cooking in the oven. "Smells so good." I tell him.

We small talk until the pizza's done and he cuts us both a slice of the hot pizza and we exit the kitchen to find an open table in the dining hall. Not only did the pizza smell delicious, the taste just proves it. After I finish eating I start to feel tired from all the excitement of today. I tell everyone goodnight and head up to my bedroom and flop down on my bed. I realize I'm still in my work outfit and quickly change into some pj's. I feel my eyelids getting heavy and I close them and fall into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Surprise at Work

**Chapter 3 ~Surprise at Work**

I wake up around 8 in the morning and put on some decent clothes. I slowly walk downstairs to find the Inn getting ready to open up. I talk to Colleen who says I start work at 10. I head into the kitchen to make a small cup of coffee and add tons of creamer and sugar. "Add anymore and there won't be any coffee left."

I turn around to find Chase smirking at me. His face is so naturally handsome, even this early in the morning. I can see his peach colored hair muffled from sleep and bobby pins holding most of it in place. "I don't really like the taste of coffee, I just like the wake-me-up it gives off." I explain to him.

"So you mean you only like coffee for the caffeine? I guess that makes sense. I like to drink my coffee with a little bit of milk added. I can't stand black coffee." He makes a disgusted face and I giggle in response. "So you start work today, huh? You nervous?"

"A little bit, but I don't think it will be that hard." I say. I've been thinking about how to handle angry customers and how I should always greet them with a smile. I take a sip of my coffee, not exactly pleased with the taste, but at least it will wake me up.

Chase and I sip our coffees quietly, occasionally talking about random subjects like the weather or about an upcoming festival. Maya interrupts us when she walks into the kitchen. She looks at me and then over at Chase. I can't help but feel like I've done something wrong. "Want some coffee, Maya?" I ask her. She looks at the coffee for a second but opens her mouth to say she doesn't like coffee. "It stunts growth." She tells us. I feel like telling her I've been drinking it since I was 14 and I'm 5'5". I shrug the thought off and just continue sipping away at my drink. Maya grabs a snack bar and pours a glass of milk for herself and leans against a counter. "So what's up guys? I hope today goes by fast." She says with her mouth full. I wonder how old Maya is. I think Chase is about my age and Maya looks younger than us both, so I'm guessing around 14 or so. That would explain so much.

I notice the time is 9:15 on the microwave clock and excuse myself to go change into my work clothes. I slide the dress on and put my hair up in a messy yet neat bun. I add some green hair clips to add decoration. I slide on some black shoes I had stowed away in my suitcase. I return downstairs to find Maya setting up the tables. I walk over to her and she tells me to make sure all the chairs are on the floor and tucked under the tables. After that's done, we start placing silverware and napkins on each table. She tells me they don't start serving food until 10:30 so we have time to set up. Our first customer walks in at exactly 10:35 and I study Maya as she leads him to an empty table. He orders his breakfast and she scribbles it down on her notepad. She casually walks into the kitchen to tell Chase the order and brings out a cup of coffee for the man. I've seen waitresses on television and in movies, so I'm sure this is the same idea.

As a few more customers enter the Inn I can't help but feel a little more nervous. I really hope I don't mess up someone's order or get a cranky old man who complains about everything. Maya notices and reassures me that it's not as hard as it seems. She pats my shoulder and tells me to get the next customer that just walked in. She follows me as I approach an older woman with a red sweater on.

"Good morning, Ma'am." I say to her. I feel so out of place. "Right this way." I gesture towards a table and she follows my lead and takes a seat. I pull out a menu from inside my apron (Colleen gave me a few this morning) and hand it to her. She looks it over and orders a few pancakes. I jot it down in my tiny notepad and she returns the menu. I ask her what she would like to drink and she asks for orange juice. I let her know I'll be a few minutes and head towards the kitchen. Inside I see Chase in front of the stove frying a couple of eggs. A short, heavy set woman is beside him cooking pancakes. Chase notices me and introduces the woman as Yolanda. Her hair is a pink shade and has her hair divided into braids on both sides of her head. She smiles and gives me a small wave before returning to her cooking. I tell them the order of the woman and Yolanda tells me it will be a few minutes until the next batch is ready. I pour a glass of orange juice and return it to the woman.

The hours go by fast and before I know it it's already midafternoon. A few customers are leaving and there's still a few more hours until dinner time. I grab a wet cloth and start wiping at the empty tables. I hear the bells on the door frame jingle and I quickly finish what I'm doing. "Good eveni-" I stop midsentence as I look at the boy who just walked in.

"Hi there." He says through a wide smile. I recognize him as the boy I saw yesterday in the forest. He appears to have his shirt on this time and I can't help but blush at the memory. A tall broad chested boy is standing next to him. I believe his name was Owen. "Hi Sora, I didn't know you worked here." He says.

I smile at Owen and show them to a table. I try to avoid eye contact with the boy from the forest and stare at my notepad as I ask for their orders. Owen orders southern fried rice and the other boy orders spinach risotto. They both order sodas and I hurry back to the kitchen to avoid any more contact with them. I sigh as I lean against a counter. The heat of the kitchen isn't helping any, but I'm glad to be out of that situation. I wonder if he recognizes me. I feel Chase's eyes on me and I can't tell him about yesterday. Instead I tell him the order and he looks at me as if he knows there's something going on in my brain. I shrug at him and head back into the hallway.

"I saw you yesterday." I hear a deep voice coming from my left. I look over to see the boy standing there in the hallway. My cheeks blush and my heart starts beating inside my chest. "I actually wanted to say hi but you were dragged off." He shrugs and I watch his bare arms flexing. My mind returns to picturing him shirtless, chopping away at wood in the golden sunlight. I shake the image away quickly before thinking of something to say to him. I can't think of anything!

"Anyways, I'm heading to the bathroom." He walks past me and I just stare at his back with a blank look on my face. I carry the drinks and set them on their table. Owen thanks me and starts fiddling with his napkin. I muster up a lot of courage and ask him who the boy is. "Oh he's a friend of mine. His name is Luke. He works with his dad at the carpentry."

I save his name into my memory and head back to the kitchen to check on the food. Once it's finished I carry it out and find Luke has returned to their table and he and Owen seem to be having a conversation. Luke lets out a loud laugh as I near their table and set down their plates of food. "Anything else?" I ask.

"We should be fine," Owen says.

I walk back over to the empty tables and finish wiping them off. While I'm doing this, I can't help but feel that I'm being watched. The two of them continue talking and occasionally Luke let's out one of his laughs. There's no more tables left for me to clean so I grab a brochure of Toucan Islands and sit on one of the bar stools and look at it. Every now and then I take a peek at Luke, only to find him doing the same. I feel so awkward, I can't believe he knows I'm the one who saw him yesterday.

"Waitress, I would like more soda!" Luke yells over towards me. Owen tells him to be quiet and it only makes him laugh. I take his almost empty glass and fill it with more soda from the kitchen. The two of them finish up and leave me a 5 dollar tip and head out. I feel so relieved to see Luke leave. I can't believe he came into work on my first day.

Maya returns from her break and notices that I'm acting a little strange. I want to tell her but I'm afraid she'll tell everyone. So I just tell her I'm anxious for work to be over. Thankfully the remaining hours go by fast and it's time for us to close down the restaurant and set up for the bar tonight. Maya says we don't have to work tonight so we can enjoy ourselves a free afternoon. I head back to my room and change into some clean clothes. I put on some jean shorts and a gray t-shirt. I put on my white hoodie and head back downstairs.

I walk quickly down the hallway and someone turns the corner too fast and we run into each other.

"Golly, I'm so sorry! I should have been watching where I was goin'." A blonde with a southern accent is sitting across from me on the floor. I tell her it was my fault for walking too fast but she doesn't accept it. It takes some time before we both accept that we were both at fault and we help each other up. "I'm Kathy! My father runs the bar here at night and I help serve the drinks and entertain the guests." She smiles.

She's wearing a short red leather skirt with a blue shirt tied right above her belly button. I tell her I planned on going out for a walk and she apologizes for running into me again.

I step out into the cool afternoon air and slowly start jogging away from the Inn.


	4. Coincidence

**Chapter 4 ~Coincidence?**

A week has gone by since I've moved to Waffle Town. On occasion I've worked with Kathy at the bar and we seem to be getting along really well. We both love animals, so we always have something to talk about. One thing I've noticed after getting to know Kathy is that she is always full of energy. The only time I've seen her quiet is when Owen's around. If I'm not mistaken, I think she might like him a bit. Owen is a nice guy so I don't blame her. If I was into macho men like him, I might feel the same way.

I walk into the kitchen to get my coffee for the morning and Maya walks in cheerful as ever. "I'm so excited for this Saturday!" She clasps her hands together and closes her eyes, lost in daydream.

"What's this Saturday?" I ask totally oblivious.

"The Ocean Festival and Firework Show! They sell all kinds of yummy food and you can swim with all your friends! Then when it gets dark, they shoot off fireworks!" Her eyes light up and grow large, showing me that this is a huge deal to her.

"That sounds awesome!" I squeal. I've always loved fireworks ever since I was a child. "What kind of yummies do they offer?"

"Tons of juices and sweets. I don't care much for the grilled fish stands. They even have a watermelon smashing contest too!" She tells me.

"I want to go! Is the Inn going to be closed that day?" I ask.

"Yep! Momma and Daddy always like to enjoy the festivals."

I take a sip of my coffee and think of what I can wear. I hope Kathy goes, that way I have someone to hang with. I can't wait to try all the snacks and juices they have there.

"What are you talking so loud about, Maya." Says a half sleepy Chase.

"I was telling Sora about the Ocean Festival!" The more she says it, the more energetic she becomes.

"You gunna go?" He looks towards me and I nod my head. "Why not go with me. I know a trick to get some of the juices cheaper." He winks at me and I blush.

"Sure."

"You only get them cheaper because you're friends with my mom and she's friends with Sue." Grumbles Maya.

"Whatever, it's still cheaper." Chase responds.

I laugh at their bickering and continue to drink my cup of coffee.

The day goes by fast and I make at least 25 dollars in tips. Kathy walks in just as we're closing down shop to get ready for the bar tonight. "Hey hun, how are ya?" She greets me with a hug, her usual way of saying hello.

"Good. Are you going to the beach thing this Saturday?" 

"Of course. I wouldn't want to miss it for anything." She smiles.

"We should hang out. Well you can hang out with Chase and I. He invited me to go with him."

"I don't want to intrude on you two." She winks.

"What? No, no it's not like that!" I blush. "At least I don't think so.."

"Honey, when a guy asks you to a festival, it's tradition that they have interest in you unless they specifically say you're going as friends."

"He didn't say we're going as friends, per say. He did say he knew how to get the drinks and food cheaper." 

"He's trying to show off to you." She pats my shoulder and looks me in the eyes. "Trust me honey. I think he has a thing for you." She winks again and chuckles.

My face feels burning hot. "There's no way we're going as a.. couple. I mean we've just met a week ago."

"Maybe he fell for you so fast."

"I don't think so. I'm going to go as just friends and that's that." I cross my arms over my chest and give her a stern look to prove it.

"Hey guys." Kathy busts up laughing as Chase walks up to us. I can't help but blush over our previous conversation. "What's so funny, Kathy?"

"Nothin'." She giggles. She winks at me and I giggle nervously.

"Anyways, since we're off work, I was wondering if you wanted to go on a walk with me."

I glance at Kathy who looks at me with a look of "I told you so." "Sure, Chase. I'd like that. Let me get dressed really fast." I excuse myself and Kathy follows me.

"Girl, I told you he has the hot's for you." She says as we're climbing the stairs.

"We could just be going on a walk as friends. I don't know."

"Maybe he'll kiss you in a secret spot that he's gonna show you!" She raises the pitch in her voice and I blush even harder. "Kathy, just drop it." I blurt out.

We enter my room and I run into my closet to find a pair of shorts and a v-neck shirt. I pull my hair up in a ponytail and run into the bathroom to apply some blush to hopefully blend with my natural blushes. I head back downstairs and Chase is talking to Jake about something. He sees me and ends the conversation. "Ready?" He asks.

"Yep."

I glance back at Kathy who's trying to hold back a smile. I stick my tongue out as I walk away following Chase outside. The air is warm and the sun is slowly setting beneath the ocean. The scene always takes my breath away no matter how many times I've seen it. I catch up to Chase who, thankfully, is walking slowly.

"I actually asked you to walk with me, because I wanted to tell you something." He says quietly. I think Kathy was right. Maybe he wanted to confess that he likes me. I try hard not to smile and look off in the distance so he doesn't see. "Ever since you moved here, the town's gotten a lot brighter and more active. More people have been coming to the island to visit and the Inn's been busy, as you noticed. But that's not all. I only really talk to Jake or Colleen about work and Yolonda about cooking ideas. Since I met you, I feel like I actually have a good friend, ya know?" He looks at me and I smile at him.

"I do know. You were probably my first sorta friend when I got here. Everyone else was friendly, but I liked talking to you." I confess. "Now I have Kathy and Maya as friends too."

"It's nice to have friends of your gender."

"Yeah it is."

We're quiet for a while and continue walking. I feel comfortable being alone with Chase. Thinking about it makes my heart flutter but I don't want to become too attached just in case he doesn't want anything more than a friendship. We continue walking around and Chase fills me in on some ideas he has for new desserts at the Inn and I offer to be a taste tester. He tells me some stories of how he tried to teach Maya how to cook but sadly her cooking didn't always come out as planned. He asks me about my life before Waffle Town and I tell him I lived in the city with my family and I turned 18 and wanted to move out. "I saw the ad for Waffle Town in a magazine my mother always read and I fell in love with the pictures and felt 'This is where I want to live'."

"Wow, you fell for that? Sorry, but it's not as amazing as the brochure makes it out to be."

"Well, people are easily fooled, but I like it here. The scenery, the people, the places are all wonderful.

"I guess. When you're new here, everything's different for you. If you've been here for a majority of years, then you get bored of it all." His tone of voice proves it.

"I hope I can live here for a long time, and I hope I don't get bored of it."

"I hope so too."

My cheeks burn and I let a smile spread across my face.

"I like you, Sora."

"You do?" I look over at him and his face is casual.

"Yes." He stands up and extends his hand out for mine. I grab it and he helps me stand up. "Let's head back." I follow him back to the Inn, but he doesn't say anything more.


	5. Ocean Festival

**Chapter 5~Ocean Festival**

The day of the Ocean Festival comes quickly and Kathy helps me find a decent bathing suit to wear. I've brought 2 pairs from home; a simple black bikini and a blue polka dot one. She brought a few of her own that she never wears and I try on all of them. The purple was a little too big and the other was a one piece, which I can't stand. The last choice was a red bikini with a cherry design on the left side of the top. I simply adored it. We both agreed it looked good on me and I put on a tank top and jean shorts to cover it up. We put up our hair and head towards the beach. Chase meets us and we all find a spot on the beach to put down our stuff. Chase goes to grab us all a bottle of water and that's Kathy's cue to ask me questions.

"So did he kiss you?"

"No. He didn't kiss me." I reply to her nosey question.

"Did he do anything?"

"He did do something.." I pull my legs up and bury my face in my knees, hoping she'll drop the subject. I'm not embarrassed by Chase's confession; I'm just not sure if I feel the same. He's cute, charming, and can cook a meal that's to die for. When I think of myself with him, I always end up thinking about Luke. I want to get to know him a little better, but I'm too chicken to talk to him. I see him at work but usually Maya's the one to take his order, along with Owen. Which reminds me.. "What about you and Owen?" My turn to be nosey.

"What about us?" She looks away from me and I know I touched a soft spot.

"Do you like him?"

"Maybe."

"Do you think he likes you?"

"I don't know."

"I bet he does. He comes in a lot to get a drink at the bar. Where you work!" I poke her and her face turns red.

"Maybe. We do talk a lot when he's there." She starts fiddling with the sand around us and I know she totally likes him.

"Maybe you should talk to him if he shows up today." I tease.

"Only if you come with me! I'd feel a lot better if I had you there."

"Okay I'll go." We both smile and Chase returns with our water. I grab the water from Chase and thank him. Nothing has changed between us since he told me he had feelings for me. We still act the same way we have been. Sometimes I feel awkward but he doesn't seem to push his affection on me. There are times he hints it, but he plays it off as friends.

"Oh boy is it hot out here!" Kathy complains and starts stripping off her outer clothing. "Don't you think so, Sora?" She winks at me. I feel a little nervous to expose my bathing suit in front of Chase but it is a little hot, plus I need to tan. "Yeah, it is."

I take off my shirt without being too awkward. I can feel Chase's eyes on me but I try to ignore it. He is a guy after all. Kathy and I are both in our bathing suits, lying on our towels under the bright warm sunshine. A little part of me is hoping Chase will take off his shirt so I can see what kind of body he has. Sadly he sits there drinking his water. I close my eyes and lay down for a few minutes before a poke to my side disturbs my attempt to tan.

"Owen's here." Kathy whispers. I look past her to see Owen entering the beach…along with Luke. Kathy sits up and waits for me to do the same. "Let's go." She says. I reluctantly follow her over to the boys and try not to look bothered by it. "Hey Owen!" Kathy says.

"Hi Kathy: Sora." Owen greets both of us. I reply with a small wave. "Would you like to sit with us? We could use more company, right Sora?" Kathy says. "Sure." I try not to look towards the guys, trying to show I'm over our little encounter in the woods.

"We get to hang out with some babes. Hot ones at that."

"Shut up, Luke!" Owen blurts out. Was it my imagination, or was Luke looking at me when he said that?

We walk back over to our little area and Chase looks un-amused with our new arrivals. I sit down and he leans over and whispers in my ear. "Who invited those two?"

"Kathy has a thing for Owen. Luke was a tagalong," I whisper back.

Chase rolls his eyes and lies down on his towel. I follow his lead and relax, listening to the constant chatter between Owen and Kathy. I feel something land on my arm and I open my eyes to see a crumpled up candy wrapper. I sit up and grab the wrapper and look both ways to see where it could have come from. Chase is lying still on his towel and Kathy and Owen are still chatting away. Luke is looking right at me and smiling. "I'm bored." He mouths at me. "Me too." I mouth back.

He smiles and tips his head towards the ocean. I shrug and stand up and walk over to the water. I slowly wade into the cool clear water and splash a little bit on my arms.

"I thought I'd never escape those two's blabbering." Luke wades into the water next to me. His body glistens from the water and sweat and it takes all I can to look away.

"Me neither." I say.

"I actually wanted to talk to you, but away from all of them. I've never gotten a chance to really talk with you anyways." I try not to look at him, in case he can see me blushing. "I want to get to know you more. Where are you from and what do you like to do? I already know you work at the Inn but that's it."

"Well, I came from Mineral Town. I moved out of my parent's house a week after I turned 18. I saw the ad for this town and felt it was calling to me. So here I am."

"Wow. I saw that ad and felt it was a big bunch of crap to lure naïve people into our town. You fell for it!" He starts laughing and I playfully punch his arm. "Sorry, but that's too damn funny."

"I actually like this town." I argue. He laughs even more and I feel myself pouting.

"I am glad you moved here though. It's about time someone new showed up."

I guess that's supposed to be a compliment. "I'm glad I moved here too. I love the town and its people."

"People here get boring fast. That's why I have to find ways to make the days more fun."

"I haven't gotten bored yet, but I've only been here a few weeks."

"If you ever get bored, I can always take my shirt off for you." He winks at me and I push him.

"Stop bringing that up!" I tell him.

"Haha! I love how embarrassed you are. If it makes you feel better, I find it kind of cute."

I cross my arms and look away from him.

"So I'm kind of wondering. You've heard about the fireworks show tonight, right?"

"Yep. That's all Maya's talked about this week."

"Well, you're not seeing the show with anyone, are you?"

Before I can answer, Chase steps in. "She's already seeing the show with me." He gives Luke a look that means back off but Luke just ignores it.

"Well that sucks. Always next year I guess." He looks a little upset but plays it off as if he doesn't care.

"Let's go grab something to eat, Sora. " Chase says. I wave Luke goodbye and follow Chase over to the booths and grab some french fries. We walk around the beach for a bit and I throw a few fries at the seagulls. I find it entertaining how they all flock around the fry, fighting over who gets to eat it.

Once we finish eating our munchies, we decide to play in the water for a while until the fireworks show. My guess would be that it's no later than 3 in the afternoon. The fireworks start at 9, so we have a few hours to mess around. I playfully leap into the water and twirl around, trying to show off my body to Chase.

Instead I get distracted by his. He's lean and not quite pale but a mix of a peachy color tone and ivory. His body is lean and not very muscular but still a great build. He tosses his shirt on the shore and casually walks into the water. His hair hangs loosely in his face.

I playfully splash him and he counters with a splash of his own. We mess around splashing each other before I feel his arms wrap around my waste. He lifts me up and tosses me towards the deeper part of the ocean. I swim back up to the surface and swim back towards him. He stands there laughing at me before I hold out my arms and push him with all my might.

He falls backwards into the water, along with myself. We softly land in the water and sand. I open my eyes to see his looking into mine, a smile on his face. My body rests on top of his, one of his arms draped over my back. "I had no idea you had that kind of strength." He props himself up on his elbows.

"Excuse me! I don't think you two should be doing that kind of thing in a public place." I get off of him quickly. He frowns a little but shakes it off before standing up again. We both face an angry Maya, her foot tapping into the sand with her hands on her hips. "Sorry Maya. We were just messing around and I pushed him. I lost footing and fell onto him. Nothing serious." I hope my small apology calms her down.

"Didn't look that way to me. Anyways, I was wondering if you were going to watch the fireworks, Chase." She rests both her hands behind her back and leans out a bit, trying to look cute. For her age, she does it well.

"I am actually, with Sora." He admits to her. She doesn't like his response. She glares angrily at me before walking away. "Fine. I guess I'll go watch them with my parents." She huffs and stomps her way back towards the other beach goers.

"Yikes. Someone's jealous." He laughs and wraps one of his arms around my shoulders. "I'm glad I'm going with you and not her."

The urge to kiss him courses through me as I look into his smiling face. "Me too." I clasp my hands together, hoping to distract me.

The rest of the day we walked around town eating ice cream and drinking smoothies from Sue's fruit stand. I felt closer to Chase then I did before, almost like we were on a date. A couple of times our hands would touch but he didn't seem fazed by it. Curiosity peeks at my mind. I wonder what happened to Luke after Chase showed up. I haven't seen him around Kathy or Owen.

The sun is starting to set near the end of our walk so we hurry to find a good place on the beach to watch the fireworks. We sit down in a gap between a few residents, happily chatting away. A gentle breeze wisps by sending a shiver down my spine. I wrap my arms around me as I attempt to warm myself up. I feel a warm body pressed next to mine as well as another arm holding me close. Chase is smiling at me, trying to help keep me warm. His violet eyes are a darker shade in the moonlight. Our heads inch closer but a burst of colors interrupt us.

The fireworks, as promised, dance around the sky lighting up the darkness with vibrant colors of: red, yellow, and many others. My eyes open wider as the beautiful show continues to explode one after another over the vast body of water. Chills of excitement run through my body with every blast taking place. Fireworks are amazing.

A finale of large and small fireworks begins shooting off into the sky, exploding into shapes of stars and faces. Waves of thunder like booms echo throughout the atmosphere as the fireworks round up their performance. I'm almost devastated when the last one goes off and the sky returns to its dull dark from.

"What a great show." I say mesmerized.

"You really seemed to enjoy it." Chase, who was only a few inches away from me, is now closer to me. Did I scoot towards him while watching the show? I feel my face blushing due to embarrassment and Chase laughs it off. "It's okay. I thought they were amazing too." His arm lifts off my shoulder and coldness overtakes the area that was once warm. He slowly stands up and offers his hand to help me. "Let me walk you back to the Inn. We can have some hot cocoa to warm you up again." He puts his hands in his pockets and starts walking towards the Inn.

Everyone from work is happily discussing the fantastic fireworks show but Chase doesn't bother getting involved. Instead, he walks through them, unfazed, into the kitchen. I follow him, only to be stopped by Kathy who eagerly wants to talk to me about her day with Owen. I take a rain check and hurry into the kitchen. Chase is casually heating water on the stove as he looks around in the cabinets for what I assume would be the hot chocolate mix.

I was right. He grabs a tin full of brown powder and puts spoon-fills into glass mugs for both of us. Once the hot water is ready, he pours it into each mug.

"Careful, it's still hot." He blows onto my mug and hands it over to me. I take in the scent of chocolate and the warmth of the hot drink brings me back to my days as a child. My mother would make hot chocolate on cold rainy days when I was stuck indoors. I get a pang of homesickness and suddenly miss my mom.

"It should be cooled by now. You gunna to drink it?" Chase sips away at his cocoa and I tilt the cup as it touches my lips. Sweet rich chocolate fills my mouth and my body rejoices at the warmth it gives off. I let a small "mmm" escape my mouth as I continue to drink the rest.

I set down the empty mug into the sink and glance at the clock hanging on the wall. 11:25. It's almost midnight. "I should be going to bed. I have to work tomorrow." I sigh and lean my waist against the counter.

"Cheer up. Least you get to work with me." A smirk flashes across his face and flashes away before I can even say anything.

"Maya's not working?" I ask surprised.

"Nope. She took the day off. So I'm filling in and Yolanda's cooking."

"I see." I wonder why she took tomorrow off. Probably so she could sleep in. I wish I was that smart but at least I'm not working alone.

"Well I'm heading home. I'll see you tomorrow." Chase waves me goodbye and I feel alone as soon as he's out of the kitchen. I don't know why I feel so happy when I'm around him. I figure I might as well get some sleep too, so I head up stairs and put on my pj's before hopping into bed.


	6. Midnight Cravings

**Chapter 6~ Midnight Cravings**

The next morning is a little gray and windy. I trudge my way downstairs in my work uniform, accidently oversleeping my normal wake-up time. Yolanda is heartily preparing her cooking utensils for today. She doesn't even look towards me when she says good morning. I grab a cup of coffee and pour in my usual creamer and sugar. Let's hope all this caffeine helps me stay awake today.

Chase is already setting up the tables and chairs and I gladly give him a hand.

"Good morning. You look a little tired today." He chuckles. "I'm a little tired myself." He runs his hand through his hair, which is tousled more than usual. I can only imagine how my hair looks. I was too lazy to do anything, so I just threw it up into a messy bun.

We reluctantly open up the Inn for our usual breakfast time customers, who must still be sleeping in. Not a single person shows up till about 11:30 for lunch time. The day goes by slowly and I almost die of boredom. Colleen reads a few news articles in the paper, Jake messes with some files near his desk and Maya is nowhere to be found. Chase thinks she's still sleeping. Wouldn't surprise me. I envy her so much right now.

A few more guests arrive between lunch and dinner, but we decide to close a little earlier due to slow business. Maya comes running down the stairs yelling for Colleen.

"Mom! Mom! Did you hear? There's going to be a typhoon tonight!" Maya gasps with a terrible look on her face.

Wind beats against the outside of the Inn and even Chase looks reluctant to walk home. "I guess we'll all have to stay here for the night." Jake comments.

"Chase, you can stay in one of the guest rooms for tonight, until the storm blows over." Colleen suggests.

"Thank you." Chase nods at Colleen.

"It's the only thing we can do. You are like a family member here after all." Jake says.

The lights flicker on and off as hours pass. Kathy and her father calls to let everyone know they won't be coming tonight due to the storm warnings. Colleen wishes her well and hangs up the phone. Jake digs out a few old flashlights he stored away for storms like this. He groups us up into pairs to stay together just in case the power goes out. Of course, I get to be with Chase.

Jake and Colleen, as well as Maya, end up as a group and Yolanda is with us. Yolanda says she'll be fine on her own and heads off to her room to read. The light outside is rather dark and the wind knocks the shutters back and forth along the front of the Inn.

The lights continue to flicker on and off. To pass time, I'm sitting at a table doodling in my order notepad. Chase is sitting across from me, writing on a crumpled piece of paper. I asked him what it was, and he told me it's a bunch of recipe ideas he's been working on. "I want to make my own creations of food. Unique and amazing. They'll make your taste buds go crazy," he said.

Maya doesn't seem to like our closeness and of course tries to interfere by asking Chase a bunch of questions but he doesn't seem to care at this point. The night gets later and everyone heads to bed. I of course toss and turn because the rain and wind is pounding against my room; it's hard to even attempt to sleep.

I look over at my clock, but the power seems to have gone out. I dig around for my flashlight and head downstairs. The hallway is pitch-black. I turn on my flashlight to shine a path in the darkness. I stumble my way into the kitchen and set the flashlight on the counter. I look around for any kind of snack to munch on. I pick an apple out of a basket and dig around in some drawers till I find a knife. I carve the apple into slices and set them on a plate.

I attempt to carve the skin of the apple into a bunny like shape, but end up making the ears a bit lopsided.

"It's a bit late to be having a snack, isn't it?" I drop the knife onto the cutting board and find Chase sneaking into the kitchen.

"Chase, you scared me!" I try to gain my composure but it's not working. Chase is wearing a pair of dark blue sweat pants and no shirt. His hair is tousled in a big mess with no hair pins keeping it in place.

"What are you trying to do?" He walks quietly towards my attempt at bunny apples and chuckles quietly. "What's up with its ears?" He grabs the apple slice and I angrily grab it away.

"I can't get its ears even," I place the bunny back onto the plate and grab the knife to attempt the next apple slice.

"I'll show you how to do it." Chase pushes up against my back and his hands cover my own as he controls my movements. "Cut a 'v' shape here and peel the apple skin a little bit like this so they stand up. Then peel off the rest of the skin."

His hands are soft and warm, taking me step by step in creating my little snack. "It looks so much better than mine," I point out.

"With a lot of practice I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. Try it on that one now." He hands me an apple slice and I have a go at it. I follow his orders and carve out tiny ears, this time more equal.

"I did it! It looks so cute." I hold the bunny shaped apple out to him. He takes a bite and smiles. "Delicious. You take a bite." He brings the apple slice up to my lips and I shyly open my mouth. I hold the slice in my mouth but before I take a bite, he does.

Our lips brush as he takes a bite from the apple slice. I gasp and the apple slice falls to the floor. I can't believe we almost kissed. My cheeks are flaring; I can only imagine how red they must be.

"I'll pick it up. I just didn't expect…" I trail off, unable to look at his face.

"That I'd try to kiss you?"

I stare at the apple slice on the floor, not able to think of anything to say. I want him to kiss me. I want to kiss him. Why am I so nervous?

Chase leans over and grabs the slice and tosses it into the garbage.

"Chase, I…" I want to kiss you. That's what I want to say but I can't find my voice. My brain is going crazy. I can't make my lips move; I'm not able to form a single word. Instead I look at his face, smooth and soft from sleep. The light from the flashlight reflects off his bare skin, toning every muscle he has. I feel lost in his eyes, the deep purple staring back into my own.

He moves closer. My heart is pounding in my chest.

His hand slides under my jaw, his thumb pressed to my chin, just barely touching my lower lip. He tilts his head just a bit before leaning in a bit more; his lips come in contact with mine. At first my body is completely paralyzed, but I kiss back. My hands softly press against his warm barren chest. I slide them slowly, taking in all that is laid out in front of me, and rest them on his cheeks. He pulls me in closer to him, kissing me deeply, never pulling away. My hand plays with his messy hair. He lets out a sound, showing he likes it.

He pulls away, leaning his forehead against mine. Happiness and satisfaction shine within the dark violets of his eyes. His arms surround me protectively, pressing me against his body. "I like you, Sora," he whispers into my ear.

"I like you too, Chase," I whisper into his. I wrap my arms around his abdomen, resting my head against his shoulder. He kisses me starting from the top of my head all the way down to where my neck meets my shoulder. I giggle as his lips tickle my neck as he plants sweet kisses.

"What's going on in here," a cranky voice interrupts.

Chase lifts his head and gazes towards the doorway. I look over his shoulder to see Maya standing in the entrance to the kitchen, looking very pissed off.

"I was trying to sleep but I kept hearing noises in here. What are you two doing? If you're gunna kiss and goof off, least do it away from all the food." She crosses her arms over her nightgown and frowns at us.

Chase doesn't seem bothered by our grumpy intruder; instead he lifts me onto the counter and rests his hands on my legs. "Wanna stick around and watch us make out, Maya?" His voice is teasing yet seductive.

"Bleck. You guys are gross. Keep it down. Some people are trying to sleep you know." She grumbles to herself a bit before turning and leaving the room.

"Looks like the pest is gone," Chase jokes and I laugh a little.

He leans in and kisses me again, this time I throw my arms around his neck and play with his hair. I can't think of what took over me. One minute I was nervous to be around him. Now I can't stop kissing and touching him. We finish kissing and I lay my head against his. I close my eyes, finally starting to feel tired.

"I have to ask you, why were you down here anyways?" His hands rest on my legs, his thumb caressing my skin.

"The storm made it impossible to sleep. So I felt like coming down here and finding something to keep my mind off it." I mumble, trying hard to stay awake a bit longer.

"So you couldn't sleep either. I guess I'm lucky."

I gently lift my head and kiss him one more time. "I think I'm ready to go back to sleep now."

Without saying a word, Chase lifts me into his arms and grabs my flashlight. He carries me up the stairs and sets me down on my bed. He leans in and kisses me goodnight. I snuggle under the blankets in my bed, and lay my head down on my pillow. I watch as his shadowy figure exits my room just before my eyelids close and I steadily fall asleep.


	7. Boyfriend?

I woke up hearing a small pitter patter of leftover rain hitting my window. Was last night real? Or was it a dream? I rub my eyes, still groggy with sleep, and touch my lips. The kiss still lingers, a feint taste of oranges occasionally running across my taste buds.

I throw off my bed sheets and pull on some decent clothes. I settle on my pajama shorts and a sweater. I toss my hair up in a messy bun and head downstairs to see if Chase is around.

I tip toe down the hotel stairs, keeping a lookout for anyone but it seems quiet. I peak into the kitchen, but only Yolanda is present.

"Good morning, Yolanda. Crazy night, huh?" I decide to create a conversation, hoping to stall time before Chase hopefully shows up. I need to see if last night was real or not.

"We get these types of storms often during the summer. I slept great." She chuckles and stretches her arms out for a few seconds before resuming her cooking. I shrug, deciding to let her finish her cooking without my distracting her.

I sneak out of the kitchen and head into the lobby. Jake and Colleen are arranging brochures and folders behind the front counter.

"Good morning." I chirp.

"How did you sleep, Sora? No matter how many typhoons I've seen, I just can't sleep during them." Colleen mumbles.

"At first I couldn't sleep but eventually my body relaxed." I reply.

"For your first typhoon, I'm surprised you slept at all." Colleen teases. She grabs a stack of brochures and gently taps them on the counter before putting them in a plastic stand off to the side.

"Need any help?" I grab a few of the brochures and tap them on the counter.

"Sure, just put them in the empty slots of the stand."

I do as she says, getting through a few piles before my hearts starts beating crazily. My stomach feels like it's doing summersaults as soon as a blur of peach walks across the room. I keep my hands and eyes occupied, hoping not to make a fool of myself.

Unfortunately, all doesn't go as planned.

"Hey, Sora." Chase leans onto the counter, wearing a hoodie and some jeans. My face feels hot and as I open my mouth to reply, the brochures slip out of my hand and scatter all over the place.

"I'm sorry" I hurriedly gather the brochures, hitting my head on the counter in the process.

"It's okay, Sora. Chase, go take her into the kitchen and get her an ice pack." Colleen nicely pushes me away and starts grabbing the fallen pamphlets.

I hold my hand onto my forehead, feeling a large lump starting to form under my palm. Chase wraps his arm around my waist and ushers me into the kitchen. Yolanda gasps when she sees the lump on my forehead and rushes over to examine it.

"What did you do, Sora? She lightly touches my head, making a disgusted face. "Chase go get the ice from the freezer. I'll grab a towel to put it in."

I watch Chase head towards the fridge, grabbing an ice pack. I can't help but take a peek at his butt. Just as I expected: perfect.

Yolanda wraps the ice pack in the towel and rests it onto my forehead.

"Let's go sit down." Chase suggests and I nod in response. I follow him outside the kitchen and we sit down at a table near the back of the dining hall.

Chase offers me a seat in a booth and I'm amazed at how gentlemanly he is. I sit down, holding the towel in my hands, and Chase follows quickly behind. My body feels hot. I don't think this ice pack will cool me off any. Chase sits less than a few inches away, resting his arms on the table, his eyes fixed on mine.

I blush and turn away, staring at the table and my hand. "So… what exactly happened last night?" I blurt out.

"I know you hit your head, but there's no way you forgot already." He chuckles, letting me know he's teasing.

"I know, I just keep thinking it was a dream." I close my eyes, replaying the kiss.

"Want me to remind you of what happened?" Chase leans closer, the scent of oranges surround my nose. I look down at his lips, waiting to see what they'll do.

"Chase, can you help Jake? He needs some help lifting some heavy boxes." Colleen interrupts.

"Yeah. Sure." Chase rolls his eyes away from Colleen and reluctantly stands up to go help Jake.

"I hope I didn't interrupt something important." Colleen gives me a wink and hurries off to go see her husband.

I let out a huge breath of air, happy I can breathe slightly normal now. My forehead feels a little numb from the cold of the ice, and I set the towel onto the table. I touch the lump to find it slowly shrinking.

I rest my chin on the table, resting my arms on my lap, and close my eyes. The seat next to me moves and I assume Chase has returned.

"You tired?" He whispers, his breath tickles my neck with each word. His hand finds mine and holds onto it, his other wraps around my back. I open my eyes and look at him. A smile crosses my face and my heart flutters violently in my chest.

"Not really. More like thinking." I whisper back.

"Stop thinking. " Chase leans his forehead against mine and reminds me of what we did last night.


	8. Birthday Surprise

**Chapter 8: Birthday Surprise**

"Good morning, love." A pair of warm lips meet my forehead and I happily accept. I wrap my arms around the owner and the scent of oranges and strawberries envelope me.

"How did you sleep?" I stare into Chase's big violet eyes.

"I could have slept better if you were with me." He nuzzles my neck and I cringe as his hair tickles my shoulders.

I grab my usual cup of coffee and pour in my usual amount of creamer and sugar. Maya glares at me as she drinks her orange juice, trying not to make eye contact; I pretend she's not there. Chase steadily readies the kitchen for another busy day at work. Today it's Yolanda's birthday so Colleen and Jake gave her the day off. She's probably still asleep in her room. Little does she know, we have a surprise party planned out for her tonight.

"Love, can you hand me a bowl of strawberries? I'm going to start working on Yolanda's cake. I'm making her favorite, Angel Fruit Cake." Chase says to me over his shoulder, his hands busily stirring a bowl of what I imagine is cake mix.

I creep open the fridge door, eyeing the shelves for any strawberries. I grab a handful and put them in a large bowl as instructed. Chase orders me to clean them off with running water and I happily oblige.

Chase kisses my cheek, accepting the washed strawberries and continues on the cake.

I say goodbye and head up to my room and get dressed. My shift starts in half an hour but I figure I'll just read a book. I visited the library in the Town Hall a few days ago and picked out a fantasy romance novel. I put on my work clothes and grab my book and head downstairs.

I'm on chapter 3 of my story by the time Colleen unlocks the doors and a few customers waltz in. Maya immediately gets their order, glaring at me on her way back to the kitchen.

A few more customers come in for breakfast but Maya eagerly take their orders. I decide to take my break early, before the usual lunch crew arrives, and vent to Chase.

He's hard at work filling orders and working on the cake between meals. The cake is finished baking and he's applying the icing and fruit as I'm approaching him.

"Hey beautiful." He greets me with a kiss, leaving a few bits of frosting on mine. His apron is covered in different shades of reds and pinks along with flour. This is the messiest I've seen him so far.

"Maya is making me frustrated." I blurt out. I slump against the counter and cross my arms to show how frustrated I am.

"Oh? Why's that?" Chase looks into my eyes with curiosity.

"I think she's pissed off that I'm dating the one guy she HAS to have a crush on and tries to beat me to every customer we've had all morning. I've only been able to get on order out of all the people here." I let out an angry sigh.

"She'll get over it. She'll have to. I don't plan on being single and she has to face the fact that you don't get what you want all the time. It's life." Chase continues on the icing of the cake, smoothing the edges as he talks. "I love you and she has to learn to not let her feelings get in the way all the time. When she first confessed her feelings to me, I turned her down. I wasn't exactly friendly about it, but at the same time I was annoyed by everyone and everything. Every time she saw me, she'd make a face and find reasons to annoy me. Eventually Yolanda put an end to it because she got annoyed by our behavior."

If only Yolanda was here today. "What should I do? Just ignore her till she gets over herself?"

"Pretty much."

I frown but decide to take Chase's advice and ignore Maya till she's done having a fit. I face the lunchtime customers with a happy composure. Maya can't greet all of them so I'll get my share today.

Thankfully my plan works out and I've gotten a few tips. My shift ends early due to the surprise party and Kathy and her father show up with decorations and drinks. I'm chatting away with Kathy as we hang up decorations around the room. A strong hand reaches out from behind me and helps hang up the letters.

"When did you two become a couple and not tell me?" Kathy asks, playing hurt.

"Awhile." Chase responds, not even looking at her. He wraps his arm around my waist, continuing hanging up birthday decorations while I pin them to the wall.

I shrug at Kathy giving her a faint smile. She rolls her eyes and smiles. "I'm going to go set up the tables. You two finish with these." She tosses some birthday banners and some bags full of balloons.

"Sora?" Colleen appears behind us and holds a piece of paper in her hand. "There was a knock on the door and this letter was taped to the door. I don't know who it's from but it's for you." She holds the paper out and I accept it.

"What is it?" Chase glances over my shoulder, reaching out to hold the paper.

I open the paper and read the contents out in a low hush. "Meet me in the Town Square at 7. I want to talk to you." The handwriting is a little sloppy but I'm able to make out most of it.

"Are you gunna go?" Chase grabs the piece of paper and steadily re-reads the message. "I'm going with you." He doesn't even wait for my response.

"I don't know. I'm not sure who wants to talk to me, and why it has to be in the Town Square." I go through my head, thinking of anyone who could ever need to talk to me. No one comes up.

"We have an hour. I think you should go. I'll stand on the side and make sure nothing happens." Chase pulls me closer to him, showing his protective side.

"I don't think anything bad will happen. Someone probably has something to tell me and want to say it in private." I reassure Chase, as well as myself.

We go back to hanging up decorations, curiosity bites at me as I try to figure out who or what's going to happen once I reach the Town Square. I guess I'll just have to find out.


	9. Sleepover

**Chapter 9: Sleepover**

Anticipation is pecking at my brain as 7 approaches. Chase holds my hand in his as we near the Town Square. "I'll wait here. I'm out of sight, but not out of earshot. If anything goes wrong I'll be there in an instant to help you." He pulls me in for a quick kiss, making my body shiver with both fear and excitement. Part of me hopes something happens and he'll protect me, and the other half hopes I'll be safe.

I let go of his hand and slowly climb the stairs up to the square. A figure sits on a bench and stands up once he sees me. Luke. Relief fills my body and I smile as I approach him.

"Hey, Sora. I'm glad you showed up." Luke scratches the back of his head.

"Yeah, why did you want me to come here anyways?" Straight and to the point.

"Well you see, when you saw me in the woods, I couldn't stop thinking about talking to you and finding out who you were. I thought 'Wow a really beautiful girl is randomly standing in front of me, watching me chop wood.'" He flexes and I can't help but let out a small giggle. "When I saw you working at the Inn, I thought it'd be so much easier to see you since I go there often for lunch with Owen. Not to mention you looked great at the beach during the Summer Festival." His face turns a slight shade of red and I feel my cheeks start to burn. Is Luke confessing to me? Does he like me? We've only talked a few times and it's been two weeks since we last saw each other.

"Luke…" I try to find words to say, to turn him down. Nothing comes to mind.

"Sora, I like you, a lot. Please, go out with me!" Luke grabs my hands and stares into my face, his eyes burning for the right answer. I blush even more and my mouth feels dry. I can't get any words out. Sadly someone else replies for me.

"I think that's enough." Chase walks up the stairs and grabs my hands and releases them from Luke's. He pulls me close to him, his arm around my waist.

"What's going on?" Luke asks. His eyes show he's hurt and his facial expression breaks my heart.

"Sora is mine. My girlfriend. She has been for a few weeks now." Chase squeezes my side, a serious tone to his voice. His eyes are a deep purple.

"Luke, I'm sorry." I barely hear myself.

"I guess I was too late, huh?" He smiles but I know it's being forced. An urge to hug him overcomes me, but it takes all my might to refuse to let my emotions overtake me. I'm Chase's girlfriend. Luke's confession shouldn't change that.

"I better go." Luke gives a weak wave and walks around us.

"I couldn't have said it better." Chase snickers.

I turn to give him a stern look. "That wasn't necessary." I say to him.

"What wasn't? Telling him you're taken?" He asks confused.

"No, your last comment. He's hurt, don't rub it in."

"Sorry. I just don't like him. Even more now, knowing that he looked at you while you were in your swimsuit." Chase makes a face and I instantly forget I was angry with him.

"Let's head back to the party. Yolanda should be there soon." I suggest.

"Okay." Chase grabs my hand and leads the way back to the Inn

Yolanda shows up and we all greet her saying "Surprise". We eat some of Chase's delicious fruit cake and Yolanda comments on how well she's taught him. She opens her gifts and thanks everyone for their effort and time put into making her birthday special.

Chase and I sit in a booth, gradually getting glares from Maya across the room, and snuggle together eating some ice cream. Chase has changed into black pants and a white t-shirt slim enough to see his goods underneath. I've only seen Chase shirtless once, and boy was it breathtaking. I'd love to see it again.

I continue scooping ice cream into my mouth, smiling at all the different angles of Chase halfway naked.

"What's on your mind? You've been shoving ice cream in your mouth and making weird faces." Chase asks curiously.

"Stuff." I reply. I continue my train of thought, eating my ice cream more slowly this time.

"Am I a part of this 'stuff'?" He asks.

"Maybe." I tease.

"Tell me about it." He leans in close to me.

"Well, I was thinking about you shirtless" I whisper the last part and he leans in closer for me to repeat.

"What were you thinking?"

"About you being shirtless." I whisper a little louder.

"You were?" He asks smiling, his white teeth poking out.

"Yeah." I mumble. I feel embarrassed.

"Why don't we get out of here and maybe your thoughts may come true." He grabs my hand and stands up. I follow pursuit and he leads me outside of the Inn.

The sun is barely showing above the ocean and the sky is showing its darkest blue. I follow the tug of my hand as Chase continues on the dirt path. We stop near a house with a pale green roof and Chase scrambles in his pocket for something. He pulls out a key and unlocks the front door allowing both of us access. He flicks on the light and a small quaint living room and kitchen greet me.

"This is my home. It's kind of small but it suits me. I wish the kitchen was larger." He leads me over to the couch and gestures for me to sit next to him. He wraps his arm around me and his other hand rests on my thigh. He nuzzles my neck, the tips of his hair tickling my bare shoulder and chin. I giggle and he smiles as he kisses up to my lips. He lays me down and continues kissing different parts of my body starting with my lips.

Soft sounds escape my mouth as his hands roam my body. I tousle his hair with my hands, tugging every time a bust of pleasure shivers through my body. He lifts up my shirt, kissing my chest down to my waist. My body twitches with each touch of his lips.

He sits up and slides off his t-shirt. His body is just like it was before. His abdomen is flat yet toned with muscles; his arms are muscular but thin as well. I feel his body with my hands, exploring each and every inch of him.

He gets off the couch and picks me up, carrying me towards another room. I lean against his lean chest as he enters a darker room. A bed big enough for two people stands in the middle of the room as well as a few dressers and nightstands. He lays me down on the bed, kissing me passionately. He unbuckles his pants sliding them to the floor. I know what's going to happen and I'm excited yet nervous. I bite my lip as he slides down my shorts, sliding his fingers into my underwear. My body tenses as his warm fingers gently rub around.

"Chase…" I mumble.

"Yes, love?" He leans closer to me, listening to my soft voice.

"I don't think I'm ready yet." I keep my eyes close, not wanting to face him. What if he's disappointed or angry? What if he's been waiting for this opportunity for a while now?

He surprises me with a long kiss, laying next me and wrapping his arms around me, pulling my body closer to his. His chest radiates heat and I snuggle against it.

"It's okay. I'm ready when you feel ready. No rush." He brushes his fingers though my hair, occasionally kissing my forehead.

"I'm glad you understand. I love you. I'm just scared." I lean into his chest hoping he won't hear the last part.

"I do understand. I'm actually scared too. I love you, so much. So I'll wait till you're ready." His voice is soft and gentle.

"Okay." I mumble, still clinging to his barren chest.

Chase covers us with his bed covers, keeping us both warm. I close my eyes, listening to every breath he takes, causing my body to relax and slowly drift away.


	10. Is this goodbye?

**Chapter 10 : Is this goodbye?**

Work has been really easy lately. Our regulars have been coming in as usual and I've had to work the bar with Kathy every once and while. Maya's still avoiding me and hasn't tried speaking with Chase like she used to. I guess she's not ready to accept that he's in love with someone else.

Yolanda always cuts Chase some slack in the kitchen, letting him get off early to spend time with me. He creates sweet desserts for me to test out or makes us a picnic lunch for us to eat near the beach or lake. Every moment I spend with him always leaves me smiling and feeling happier than the day before. I came here looking for a new life, and boy did the goddess not let me down.

"What are you thinking about, love?" Chase pops a piece of strawberry into his mouth and smirks at me while he chews.

"Just stuff." I lay my back down on the blanket we laid out on the grass under a tall oak tree. Today Chase grabbed a bunch of sweet fruits from the kitchen and set up a spot under the tree in the field behind Brownie Ranch.

He lays down beside me, resting his hand on mine. "Tell me about this stuff." He nuzzles his nose against my neck and I smile. "About how happy I am to have moved here. Found a job, made great friends, and even met you." I lean my head towards his and look into his warm violet eyes.

"I'm happy you moved here as well, love." He kisses my cheek, sending chills through my body.

My head is always spinning whenever we kiss. Always like he makes me dizzy and my body feels lighter. My mouth opens, three words escape, before I can stop them, they've already left. "I love you."

Chase's eyes widen but a smile stays plastered on this face. I sit up; startled by the words I let loose. We've only been dating for a week. How can I say something so quickly?

"I love you too, Sora." Chase's face is composed and calm. I look at him, relieved he's not weirded out or confused by my sudden outburst. I let out a huge sigh, and an awkward smile spreads across my face.

"Good." I tease. I push him over and kiss him, letting his arms hold me against him on the soft blanket. The tree sways with the wind and the sunlight that escapes, dances across our bodies. Chase's eyes are a lighter color; I've noticed the way they change, depending on his mood: dark purple when he's upset or angry, a lighter purple when he's calm, and a strong violet when he's happy.

"Your eyes, they're so beautiful." I say honestly.

"So are yours." He brushes away some hair, gazing into my eyes.

"Mine are brown and ugly."

"Not to me. I think you have the most gorgeous brown eyes I have ever seen."

"You have to say that, you're my boyfriend." I joke. I sit up, resting my body into his lap, allowing him to sit up and hold onto me.

"I am your boyfriend, but I'm also being honest."

We stare at each other a little longer, allowing our bodies to be close to each other, taking in every moment we can together.

An annoying ringing sound breaks our concentration and Chase begins to frown. He lowers his hand into his pocket to pull out his cell phone. "Hello?" He answers.

I sit patiently, trying not to listen into the phone call, but failing miserably due to my curiosity.

It sounds like Yolanda is on the other line, sounding excited about something.

Chase's face lights up with every word Yolanda says. He eagerly says goodbye and hangs up the phone.

"Yolanda just called. She told me I got accepted into a class for elite chefs." He kisses me firmly on the lips, holding my body closer to his.

"That's great!" I exclaim, not exactly sure what it really means but at least he's happy.

"We have to return to the Inn. Yolanda said they sent me a letter with all the info and she's going to fill me in on some more stuff." I quickly get off his lap and start gathering some things. We scurry back to the Inn, Chase way ahead of me.

He waits for me at the door, holding it open, like the gentleman that he is. We rush into the lobby and head straight towards the front counter. Yolanda smiles at us and holds out the mail towards Chase. Chase snatches it happily, opening the letter. "We are proud to inform you that Chase has been accepted into the College of Mineral Town," he reads out loud. He reads the rest of the letter quietly, casually filling us in, and smiles even bigger each paragraph. "I start in a few weeks when Fall arrives."

I'm happy for him but I'm also worried about how long he'll be gone. I decided I better ask. "How long will you be gone?" I try to hide the sadness in my voice.

"I'm not sure. I'm assuming a year." Chase happily exchanges words with Yolanda about transportation and dorming costs. The two make their way into the kitchen and I'm left alone with everyone else in the lobby. I decide to head upstairs and read while Chase continues to chat away about his future.

Hours pass and Chase finally knocks on my door and enters my room. "Hey, Love. I thought you'd be up here." He sits next to me on the bed and has a small hint of excitement and guilt on his face.

"What's up?" I ask.

"I'm just thinking… about the timing of all this. I applied for it ages ago, before I met you and now that I'm accepted, I'm not sure I want to go now…" He fiddles with his hands while he's talking.

"You have to go. It's your dream isn't it?" I argue.

"Was. My dream now is to be with you." He leans in and kisses me, his hand caressing my thigh.

I pull away, looking into his eyes. "I'm glad you want to be with me, but I think you should fulfill your dream of being a renowned chef. If you don't go, you'll end up hating yourself for not taking the opportunity when it arrived. I can wait." I stare at him, hoping he'll understand that I don't' want to keep him from doing what he loves most.

"You sure you'll be okay while I'm gone? Yolanda said I'll end up leaving in a week in order to get there and get set up and I still need to get a tour of the place. I'll visit during holidays. And I'll even write letters." He holds my hands and I didn't realize I'm shaking a little. "Don't worry, before I leave, I'll make sure we spend lots of time together." He kisses my forehead, squeezing my hand.

"You better." I tease trying to hide the sadness that's deep inside of me. He holds me close to him and I lean my head against his shoulder. I finally get a boyfriend and now I'm losing him for a whole year… What a great time to move to a new town.


	11. A Special Night

Chapter 11

"You ready?" Chase opens my door slightly and I see a violet eye peak around it. I finish putting on a necklace and spin around slowly. "Like?" I'm wearing a light green casual dress that Kathy picked out for me. Chase walks over and places his hands on my side.

"I love it." He kisses my forehead and smiles. I feel my cheeks burning and I eagerly grab his hand and pull him out of my room. "Let's go, I don't want to miss my first Firefly Festival!" I let go of his hand as we descend the stairs.

"The fireflies will be around all night. We have plenty of time." Chase keeps up with me, short breaths escape between each word. I turn around, and wait at the bottom of the stairs. He's wearing a button up shirt with black pants. The top of his shirt is unbuttoned a bit and I can see his peachy skin peeking out. He catches up to me and grabs my hand. "Let's walk there," he chuckles and I look at him with apologizing eyes.

The night is cool but still warm enough where I don't need a jacket. The sun is set and the streetlamps light up the path towards the falls. Chase grabs my hand and I'm glad it's dark outside, or else he could see my major blushing. No matter how long it's been, I still feel like a little girl with a huge crush.

A group of people are gathered around the grass near the waterfall. Most of the spaces closest to the falls are occupied. We sit down in an area somewhat near the falls. A cool breeze blows in from the ocean and I wrap my arms around myself to keep warm. Chase notices and rubs his hands over my cold arms and snuggles up next to me.

Mayor Hamilton begins a short speech about the traditions of our town. I drown him out and look around for any signs of fireflies. Chase pokes me and points behind Hamilton. Sure enough, there's a bright dot floating around the Mayor's head. A few townsfolk laugh and I inch closer and examine the small insect. Another dot and another start showing up and the Mayor turns around and starts laughing.

"I guess they're ready to start before I'm finished!" He jokes and bows before taking a seat next to his son. I sit down, my eyes watching the display of dancing yellow lights bouncing around the air.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Chase's hand is resting on his right knee and his left arm is pressed against my back. I lean my head against his shoulder. "Yes." I whisper.

"I've seen something more beautiful," he whispers into my ear and I blush. "Yeah?" I tease.

"You." He kisses my cheek and I giggle quietly. "Let's get out of here. I want to show you something."

I look at his face and his eyes are a dark purple. His lips are turned into a soft smile. "Okay," I mumble.

We crawl away from the crowd before standing up and walking towards the Lake District. "Sorry we're leaving so early."

"Always next year," I say, trying to be a little positive. He grabs my hand and gently pulls me towards the path that leads to his house. My heart starts beating fast and I can guess what's going to happen. I'm ready this time.

He pulls out his keys and unlocks the door, allowing us to enter. The smell of oranges and other fruits greet us and I inhale deeply. Chase tosses his keys onto his end table and walks over towards his kitchen. "Thirsty?"

"A little," I say and follow him over to the fridge. He pulls out some fruit punch and pours me a glass. I take a sip and a happy sound stirs in my throat.

"You like it? I made it myself. All natural," Chase takes a sip and sets down his glass and takes mine, now empty, and places it next to his. He gazes into my eyes and his hands rest on my sides, pressed against the table.

I press my fingers gently against his chest, kissing him softly on the lips. His lips curl up and he presses closer to me. I tug on his collar and teasingly play with the buttons.

"Isn't it funny? Our first kiss was in a kitchen." Chase rests his forehead against mine. "Maybe this time can be a little different." I suggest and unbutton part of his shirt. He smiles and pushes me farther down on the table. His hands reach up my shirt, his thumbs rubbing my abdomen. I unbutton his shirt, his smooth chest exposed. He shrugs out of his shirt and it falls to the floor. He kisses down my neck and bites the strap of my dress. I push him up and stand up, eagerly taking off the dress.

I toss it over to the couch and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him passionately. He lifts me up and carries me to the bedroom. We plop down on his bed and his fingers dance around my body. He takes off his pants, adjusting his body over mine.

His eyes are closed and his warm breath cascades down my chest. His arms are resting on the bed, pinning me between them. I grab hold of one and feel the tense muscles flexing as he balances over me. My free hand plays with his zipper. Impatiently he undresses himself, until he's left in his underwear. I help him unhook my bra and fling it across the room. His hands rub every inch of my body, his eyes never averting from them.

"I'm ready." I whisper and he eyes me, his violet eyes fixated on my hazel ones. "Are you sure this time?"

"Yes," I mumble and pull him in for a deep kiss. He pulls off his boxers and I keep my eyes closed. I feel him slowly taking mine off and my body tenses up as his fingers slide against my legs, feeling the warmth of his body against mine as he inches closer.

I bite my lip, knowing what's going to happen now. Chase's head is next to mine and he's moving around trying to position himself. I grab a hold of his hair and squeeze my eyes shut. I feel a pressure, and then some pain, and I take all I can from screaming out. It hurts but I have to endure it. I picture Chase kissing me, holding me in his arms, smiling, eating strawberries and oranges together under our usual place out in Brownie Ranch's open fields. My body relaxes a bit and the pain is now subsiding. I feel numb and tingly at the same time.

Chase is letting out low breaths against my neck. I play with his hair as he moves back and forth, performing what we've been waiting to do for a while now. What we've wanted to do before he leaves for a year. I feel my throat start to throb and I tell myself 'Not now, you can't cry right now!' but the tears start flooding my eyes.

Chase stops and looks down at me with concern. "Are you okay?" He rubs the tears from my cheeks and I can't find anything to say.

"What's wrong, Love? Does it hurt? I can stop." He gets off of me and sits up next to me. I cover my eyes with my arm but the tears don't stop.

"Talk to me, please." Chase urges and grabs my arm with his warm, soft hands and stares at me, his loving eyes causing my tears to come more rapidly. I sit up, despite being naked, and hold onto him.

"This is the last time we can ever do anything together. You pack up tomorrow and leave the next morning. How am I supposed to manage a year without you? I just moved here, and without thinking about it, I fell in love with the greatest guy I could ever hope to meet, and now he's leaving?" I hiccup between words and I feel like a two year old crying for her mommy.

"A year is a long time but before you know it, it will pass quickly. I'll call you on weekends, send you letters. I won't stay out of touch. I promise. I'll come and visit on Christmas. Easter too."

I sniffle before pulling away from him. "I guess if we keep in touch it won't be that bad. I'm just going to miss you so much." I rub my eyes before looking towards the floor.

"I'll miss you, too. Every day I'll spend thinking about you." He pulls me in again and hugs me, his warm body calming me down. I feel the tears starting to calm and I kiss Chase on the lips, long and passionately.

"Let's make the rest of our final night special." I whisper before kissing him again.

"Every night is special with you." Chase says into my ear before laying me down on the pillow, picking up where we left off.


	12. Friends Never Say Goodbye

Chapter 12

The Inn is slow this morning. Maya is busy away decorating while her mother cuts out shapes from pieces of paper. We all decided to pitch in to throw Chase a final goodbye party. He leaves tomorrow morning so he's supposed to be packing all day.

I'm sitting at a booth, scribbling flowers on my order pad. I'm not in the mood to decorate. Maya seems super happy seeing me upset about Chase's departure but soon she'll feel the same once he's gone. A soft hand touches my arm and I look over to see Yolanda. "You should eat something. You look awful." She hands me a piece of jelly covered toast but I brush it aside.

"I'm not in the mood to eat." I lay my head down on my arms and she sits next to me. "Aren't you happy Chase is going to fulfill his lifelong dream? He's wanted to be a chef since he was a lad. You shouldn't sit here moping all day, he wouldn't want that." She takes a bite of the toast before returning to the kitchen.

"It's easier for you to say, you're not dating him," I mumble into my arms.

The rest of the day is full of our regulars. Only surprise is Luke and Owen show up for lunch and it's really awkward. Owen is as nice as ever but Luke hardly talks when I'm near him. I feel a little sad seeing him look at me like that but he chose to confess at a wrong time.

Seven o'clock arrives and the quests for the party begin to arrive. Yolanda has set out some snacks and goodies on some of the tables in the back. I hate saying the party is turning out well for saying goodbye to someone. I feel my throat start to hurt and I excuse myself outside to get some air, hoping to push back any tears. I walk around the Inn and head up the stairs where the courtyard of the Town Hall is lit up by the moon and streetlamps. I plop down onto a bench and stare at the stars.

"Shouldn't you be at the party?" A blonde figure steps out of the Hall and locks the door.

I sit quietly. "Oh, that's right. Chase is your boyfriend. You don't want to say goodbye," Gill sits in the open spot next to me on the bench. "I'm sure it's really tough seeing someone you love go when you're not ready to say goodbye. " He fiddles with his fingers and curiosity gets control.

"You've been in love before, Gill?"

"It wasn't the love you're thinking of. My mother passed away when I was a little boy. Neither I nor my father was ready for her to leave this world." His blue eyes sparkle in the moonlight and I never noticed how handsome he was. His blonde hair curls around his face, a small piece standing up at the tip of his forehead.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I say quietly, ashamed I asked.

"It's quite alright. Sometimes I can sense her watching over me like she used to. I miss her but I know she's not fully gone." He smiles a bit and I turn away.

"I wish there were two Chases; one to stay here and one who can go off to college."

"I'm sure you guys will keep in touch. It's only a year of school. Before you know it, he'll be back and you two will be closer than ever. If you ever feel lonely, I don't mind talking to you. I'm not always stuck up." He smiles again and I feel my cheeks burning. I'm thankful it's too dark to see me blushing.

"Thank you, I'd appreciate it."

"Think of it this way. Each day he's away, is another day closer to him coming home."

"When you say it like that, it doesn't seem so bad."

"Shall I escort you back to the party? I was heading there anyways." Gill holds out his arm and I wrap my arm around it.

We let go of each other's arms before entering the party. Chase has already arrived and smiles when he spots me.

"I was looking all over for you!" He pulls me in for a kiss and a tight hug. "You didn't have to throw me a party!"

"I didn't. The whole Inn staff decided to," I say truthfully.

His eyes dim a little but quickly return to a bright purple. "Well I'm glad you joined them." He says before pulling me towards the back. We visit with a few people who wish him good luck and I feel myself starting to get used to the fact he's leaving tomorrow. I take Gill's advice and find myself happier than I was before.

The party lasts till Midnight and most of the guests have left. Chase yawns before heading home to sleep before the big day. He kisses me goodnight and scurries down the dirt road towards his house. I try to get some rest myself but I end up crying myself to sleep instead.

I open my eyes, which are irritated and sore, and glance at my clock. 8:25 am. I rub my eyes again and the clock doesn't change. I burst out of bed, still in my jammies and run downstairs. The inn is empty and I open the front doors and run out towards the docks as fast as possible. A few people gather around and I see Chase getting ready to board the boat that will take him away from me.

I start yelling out his name and he smiles when he sees me. I run up and leap into his arms and he holds me tight. "I thought you weren't going to make it; I thought I wouldn't get to say goodbye." He presses his hand against the back of my head and the tears start falling.

"I wouldn't live with myself if I didn't. I just have something to tell you," I wipe the tears from my eyes and look up at him.

"You're not pregnant are you!?" He looks at me concerned but I laugh it off. "Oh Goddess, no; I hope not. I just wanted to tell you that every day you're gone, is one day closer to us reuniting. I want you to have fun at college and I'll be waiting for you. I love you!" I throw myself at him again and he kisses me. The boat horn goes off and Pascal calls out for anyone boarding.

"I have to go, I love you too! I promise to call and write letters!" Chase waves while jogging up the dock and gets on the boat. Yolanda places her hand on my shoulder and smiles. "I'm proud of you. Saying goodbye must've been hard but you handled it well."

"It wouldn't have done either of us good moping around."

"Glad to hear it." She let's go and moves towards the rest of the crowd. I stand watching my love sail across the ocean to embrace his dream. I feel sad and happy at the same time. I just know Christmas will come soon and I'll be reunited with him once again.


End file.
